From tiny cells under a microscope to the enormous wings of undersea rays, the finalists of the 2014 New Scientist Eureka Prize for Science Photography explore a vast range of scales. Submitted by researchers from around the world, these photos show the startling beauty behind science.

The competition was sponsored by New Scientist, and the photos were judged by a panel including our own Michael Slezak, New Scientist's Australasia reporter.

These are the three finalists and six highly commended entries for the prize, with the winners scheduled to be announced on 10 September 2014 in Sydney. Phillipa Skett

The majestic Alfred manta ray can grow up to 3.5 metres wide by filter-feeding on microscopic plankton. It roams widely in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans but is classed as vulnerable, and populations are very sparse and fragmented.